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May 7, 2024

Rotterdam hosts European startup founders and investors at Upstream to drive innovation for a future proof economy

Up!Rotterdam and more than 50 public and private partners are organizing the fifth edition of the Upstream Festival on May 28 and 29, 2024. This event brings together more than 2,000 founders of startups and scale-ups, investors, corporates

Upstream 2024 connects more than 2000 founders, investors and other organizations from the international startup ecosystem that are driving the transition to a digital, carbon neutral, circular and inclusive new economy

Rotterdam, The Netherlands,  – Up!Rotterdam and more than 50 public and private co-creation partners are hosting the fifth edition of Upstream Festival on the 28th and 29th of May 2024. Upstream is targeted to bring together over 2000 startup and scale-up founders, investors, innovative corporates and SMEs and policy makers to drive cooperation and innovation. The festival welcomes national and International attendees from various European startup communities, including key hubs like London, to the Rotterdam metropolitan area, Europe’s best connected city.

Meet, learn and connect at curated, co-created side events

Every aspect of The Netherlands’ most impactful annual startup festival is tailored to connect today’s changemakers who are driving innovation towards a digital, sustainable and inclusive future.

"The anniversary edition of Upstream highlights our ongoing commitment to supporting startups and scale-ups that drive sustainable growth. Sustainable value creation has been at the heart of the festival since day one, five years ago, and it feels more important than ever now. I'm excited to see how the entrepreneurial community around Upstream keeps thriving and getting stronger every year." – Lars Crama, Upstream Festival

The extensive two day program is expected to attract 2,000 visitors and consists of  various intimate event formats. These include expert roundtables, founder interviews, CEO dinners and investor & buyer tables to help ensure valuable connections and successful matches between startups and scale-ups and investors and corporates. Upstream also offers a platform for founders to discuss mutual challenges and obstacles that come with scaling their businesses with fellow entrepreneurs.

“During the Upstream Festival Dinner, I got to know Peter Goedvolk, a renowned entrepreneur from Rotterdam and founder of investment firm First Dutch. We kept in contact ever since, and in our investment round last year, we partnered up with Peter and his investment firm to accelerate the hyperloop developments together." - Tim Houter, cofounder Hardt Hyperloop

During the event week, attendees can visit 20+ engaging and fun side events hosted by Upstream’s co-creation partners. The events take place at locations across the cities of Rotterdam, Delft, The Hague and Zoetermeer. Side events provide attendees with the opportunity to network with other founders, learn about innovative trends and best business practices, meet investors and corporates and to bring their startup to the next level. This year’s side events include proven formats like TechSocials, Startup Roulette, Circularity Run and many more.

The well-known Superconnectors networking event is one of the side events scheduled this year. The successful and unique event format launched during the second edition of Upstream in 2021 and matches the most critical need of selected founders to highly connected networkers that compete to provide these founders with the connections they need to move forward.

“InvestNL has attended Upstream as a partner since the start of the event, and I look forward to the festival every year to meet many old friends and new interesting companies. I love Upstream, because to me it is the place where founders and investors can meet in a casual way.” - Rinke Zonneveld, CEO Invest-NL
“Rabobank believes in the power of innovating together. We support startups and scale-ups with our financing products, a network and knowledge to grow. We are always looking for entrepreneurs who want to make a real difference together. That's why we are attending Upstream Festival again this year as a partner. By joining forces, we make the most impact.” – Ronald van Raaij, Directeur MKB Rabobank.

More information and tickets are available on the Upstream Festival website. Details about this years’ event location, speakers, agenda, and side-events will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

About Upstream

Upstream Festival provides a space for startups and scaleups to make the connections they need to thrive and build companies that change the world for the better. Since the first edition in 2020, Upstream has welcomed more than 9000 startups, scale-ups, investors, buyers and other changemakers who share, connect and create meaningful innovations for sustainable growth. Upstream is a community driven initiative led by Up!Rotterdam, made possible by the city of Rotterdam, that unites more than 50 public and private partners from the Netherlands, including the City of Delft, Rabobank, Techleap, ICOS Capital and many more. The 5th anniversary edition of Upstream will take place in Rotterdam May 28 & 29 2024.

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